The Curious Encounter in East Meadow - Blackhill

Chapter 3 - The Basement

Natasha pushed the front door open with her shoulder, her hands full with colourful cardboards and various art supplies. She didn't mind teaching kids ballet as her undercover job, but making props for the show on a Friday evening? That was definitely not in the mission brief.

She navigated carefully across the living room, trying not to knock anything over. As she entered the dining room, she could hear voices coming from the kitchen.

"Robin, you're gonna love macramé." That was Lily's voice. Natasha scoffed. She had only met Robin a few days ago. But she was almost a hundred percent certain Robin wasn't going to love macramé.

"Are you sure?" Natasha could feel Robin's scepticism even without seeing her face. Natasha grinned to herself imagining what Robin's expression must look like right now. Wanting to see where this conversation would go, Natasha leaned against the wall beside the door to the kitchen so that she could hear their voices a little more clearly without having to be seen.

"Of course! You'd be amazed how many things you can make with it. Bracelets, earrings, wall art, even this table runner!" Lily tried, enthusiastically. Natasha was pretty sure that wasn't really helping her case.

"Yeah, sounds super fun. I'm just a little tired. You guys just go without me." Even through the door, Natasha could tell Robin sounded more annoyed than exhausted. Well, she did sound a little tired. Of pretending macramé might be fun.

"But Robin! You have been sulking around the house ever since you broke up with Kevin, and also after that... thing, with Ted. It'll be good for you to go out and have some fun." That was Marshall, Natasha reckoned.

That confirmed what Natasha already knew. After the night they'd met, Natasha had some newbie agent at SHIELD pull up a quick report on Robin's profile. Robin Scherbatsky, born in Canada, used to be a teenage pop star - Natasha may have enjoyed watching her music videos a little too much - moved to New York a few years ago to become a journalist. Dated Ted Mosby and Barney Stinson. Was engaged to Kevin Venkataraghavan. When her engagement with Kevin fell through, something must have happened between Robin and Ted so that she had to move out of their shared apartment in New York and come live here. Natasha betted it was something stupid Ted did, he sounded like a douchebag.

"What? I haven't been sulking! I've just been... relaxing, enjoying Long Island." Robin didn't sound convincing at all. And Natasha could testify that that was a lie. She and Robin hadn't really talked after that first night. But she had seen Robin around the house several times these past few days. Every single time, Robin was either frowning, sighing or looking at her phone with a scowl on her face. Robin was no doubt frustrated with something. But what piqued Natasha's interest was that it didn't look like it was from a heartbreak. It felt like something else, something Natasha couldn't quite put her finger on.

"Come on sweetie, it's Friday night! Won't you feel lonely sitting around the house all by yourself?" Lily tried again, hoping to still convince Robin somehow. Natasha had an idea. Maybe she could help Robin out and have some fun herself too.

Natasha entered the kitchen loudly, carrying all the art supplies with her. The three of them were sitting at the booth, having dinner. They all turned to look at her as she dumped everything onto the kitchen island.

"Oh, good evening, Miss Natalie. How was your day?" Marshall was visibly nervous, and looking a shade paler. Natasha sneered at that. It was amusing how Marshall was still scared of her after she joked about skinning him alive that one time.

Natasha gave a chin nod towards their general direction, then turned more specifically toward Robin. "So, you still up for tonight?" Natasha asked causally, not a single tell on her perfectly natural expression.